We live in an age where everything is instant. So when we develop pain in our knee joints, making it challenging to do our daily activities, we want an immediate cure.

The two knee joints bear the body’s entire weight. If you are overweight, the bones of the knee joint wear out their cushioning cartilage and synovium, grating together and causing severe pain. Sometimes, previous trauma, like a fracture, may have changed the dynamics of the joint so that degeneration and pain start earlier.

Once the knee joint becomes painful, walking, standing and climbing stairs become difficult. The gait may change. Limping, misaligned and damaged hips and back may also cause pain in those joints.

Knee pain may be isolated or part of the broader spectrum of rheumatoid arthritis, which affects many joints. It may also be caused by gout, in which uricacid crystals get deposited in the joint fluid.

Knee pain is less likely in children. It can occur if the bones and cartilage are congenitally abnormal or the knees were injured due to an accident or twisted fall, likely in games such as basketball, football, tennis and badminton. Contrary to popular belief, runners are less likely to have knee pain.

For acute knee pain, apply an ice pack for two minutes at a time,several times a day. Take a non-steroid anti-inflammatory agent (NSAID) — like ibuprofen — or plain paracetamol in the correct dosage. A knee brace will help hold the knee bones in place and restrict painful movement.

If the condition does not improve within two or three days,if the knee is swollen, or if thereis pain or fever, you should schedule a medical consultation assoon as possible. Knee pain is evaluated with blood tests, X-rays, CT scans and MRI scans.

Often, only conservative treatment is required for knee pain. This should be combined with consistent and regular dieting for weight loss. If the muscles around the knee joint are strong and efficient, they will likely hold the bones in place, preventing pain. Regular physiotherapy, yoga, muscle strengthening and flexion are needed. A slow recovery is possible.

Can’t bear the pain in your knees? Instead of trying to repair them, replacing them with prosthetic artificial joints seems easy and the trend these days. Surgical correction seems like a magic pill that will provide a permanent cure. Since many people opt for the procedure and live to tell the tale, it seems like a good idea.

There are several types of surgery. With arthroscopic surgery, an endoscope is inserted into the knee joint to remove any loose bodies (broken bits of bone and cartilage) that lock the joint and repair damaged cartilage.

A partial knee replacement can be done by removing only the damaged parts of the knee and replacing it with a prosthesis. The disadvantage is that you may eventually need further surgery.

The most popular surgery is total knee replacement. It may seem like an easy way out of a painful situation, but the replaced knee usually lasts only for 15 to 20 years. Then, another surgery may have to be done to replace the worn-out prosthesis.

Try conservative treatments for at least three — and preferably six — months before considering knee replacement surgery. Replacement is indicated if the knee pain is so severe that it interferes with everyday tasks and quality of life, prevents sleep, or if your knees are deformed and bent.

Don’t agree to a knee replacement if there is an infection in the joint or elsewhere.

Surgery is, however, not a one-stop solution. Physiotherapy has to be continued before and after knee replacement. Although normal activity can be started after six weeks, it usually takes around a year to recover fully after a knee replacement.